Helicopter a “write-off”

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33066, 6 November 1972, Page 1

Helicopter a “write-off”

A deer hunter suffered minor injuries at the headwaters of the Pahau River, North Canterbury, on Saturday, in a crash which virtually "wrote off" a $25,000 helicopter.

The hunter, Peter Anisy, aged 30, of 39 Monroe Street, Cobden, suffered bruises and rib injuries when the helicopter fell to the ground and bounced forward 40 feet.

The manager of WhirlWide Helicopters, Ltd (Mr M. Kane), said he did not feel that the helicopter, which the company had got secondhand from Australia, was worth recovering. Mr Kane could not say what had caused the accident. The crash occurred about 2 p.m. as the helicopter was lifting two deer carcases at the headwaters of the Pahau River,

The pilot, Lyndon Dermer Wilson, aged 25, of Feilding, told the police that he was about 20ft up with the deer on a line below when he felt the helicopter begin to sink. He dropped the load, but the machine continued sinking. The helicopter hit the ground and bounced 40ft forward, hitting the ground again at a forward speed of 30 knots. It rolled over several times before coming to rest.

| Mr Wilson was not hurt I in the accident, but finding his passenger, Mr Anisy, i hurt, ran for about an hour land 20 minutes to summon I help. He then returned with {a party which went into the area to get Mr Anisy out. I Mr Anisy was flown out 'yesterday morning by Mr Kane, who had flown another helicopter in to the scene of the crash. Mr Anisy was taken to the Hanmer Springs Hospital and then to the Christchurch Hospital by a St John ambulance from Culverden. He was reported last evening to be in a fairly satisfactory condition.